| Louis Untermeyer, ed. (1885–1977). Modern British Poetry. 1920. |
| |
| Walter De la Mare. 1873– |
| |
| 90. Nod |
| |
| SOFTLY along the road of evening, | |
| In a twilight dim with rose, | |
| Wrinkled with age, and drenched with dew | |
| Old Nod, the shepherd, goes. | |
| |
| His drowsy flock streams on before him, | 5 |
| Their fleeces charged with gold, | |
| To where the sun's last beam leans low | |
| On Nod the shepherd's fold. | |
| |
| The hedge is quick and green with briar, | |
| From their sand the conies creep; | 10 |
| And all the birds that fly in heaven | |
| Flock singing home to sleep. | |
| |
| His lambs outnumber a noon's roses, | |
| Yet, when night's shadows fall, | |
| His blind old sheep-dog, Slumber-soon, | 15 |
| Misses not one of all. | |
| |
| His are the quiet steeps of dreamland, | |
| The waters of no-more-pain; | |
| His ram's bell rings 'neath an arch of stars, | |
| "Rest, rest, and rest again." | 20 |
|
|
